Benefits to the environment

To have the same benefits to the environment as obtained by the substitution of a Iuro 3 vehicle with one run on batteries, the following replacements would have to be made:

• 1.2 Iuro 3 vehicles with hybrid vehicles
• 3 Iuro 3 vehicles with Iuro 5 vehicles
• 1.2 - 2 Iuro 3 vehicles with vehicles run on hydrogen fuel cells

Energy benefits

If we consider natural gas as a primary source, which could well be the most widely used source in the coming years, and taking into account every step in the energetic chain (from the production of electrical Inergy or hydrogen right up to the output of an electric engine) an overall efficiency emerges:

• Vehicles run on batteries
  overall efficiency from the "source to the wheels": 35%
• Hybrid plug-in vehicles
  overall efficiency from the "source to the wheels": 28%
• Vehicles run on hydrogen fuel cells
  overall efficiency from the "source to the wheels": 24%

Starting with renewable sources (e.g. wind) the comparison between various vehicles leads to the following conclusions:

• Vehicles run on batteries
  overall efficiency: 63%
• Vehicles run on hydrogen fuel cells
  overall efficiency: 23%

In conclusion, and considering a distant future based on renewable sources, the battery solution remains the favourite on a ratio of 2:1 or more.

Economic benefits

Economic comparison of an electric car with a car that runs on diesel fuel covering a distance of 15.000 km/year:

• Electric car: (Energy costs during night hours: 0.20 €/kwh)
  15.000 km/year x 125 W/km = 1875 kW/year equal to 375€ to run 15.000 km in a year
• A car on diesel fuel: (Cost of diesel oil: 1.5 €/litre)
  15.000 km/year x 0.06 litres/km = 900 Litres /year equal to 1350€ to run 15.000 km in a year.